Galloway motive power 1931

I'm a big fan of Dorothy L Sayers detective Lord Peter Wimsey, and in particular of Five Red Hearings, set in Galloway and published in 1931.
The plot involves train journeys on the Stranraer - Dumfries, Dumfries to Glasgow and Stranraer - Glasgow lines (I won't give anything more away).
I was wondering, what would be the likely motive power for these trains at that era?
I suppose they'd likely be in LMS black by this period, although some may have still retained red from a few years earlier.

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Interesting question!

The LMS rapidly took the axe to most of the ex-G&SWR loco fleet, which was already heavily reduced by 1931. I guess that they would have been replaced by LMS Compounds on the principal passenger turns, supplemented by LMS 2P and Caledonian 4-4-0s for lesser passenger turns, with LMS 4F and Caledonian 0-6-0s for freight. Crab 2-6-0s would also likely have been present for mixed traffic duties, perhaps also Caledonian 60-class 4-6-0s, but would the range of these engines have been limited at the time by weight restrictions on lines such as those to Stranraer?

 

You might want to consult Swan's "The Port Road", which has sections on train services and motive power, and David Smith's "Tales of the Glasgow & South Western Railway." Probably a 4-4-0 on the Port Road from Stranraer shed, mainly Caley locos but a also a Manson Class 8 and a Manson "Greenock Bogie" whatever that is. A 60ft turntable was installed at Stranraer in 1939 allowing Jubes etc to run.

 

D.L. Smith recounts that Caley Greybacks (60 Class 4-6-0) were regular performers on goods trains, and loathed by the GSWR men. Hughes - Fowler 6P5F Crabs turned up frequently too, as did the Standard LMS "2P" 4-4-0.

Richard.

 

"Greenock Bogie" was the 336-class small-wheeled (6ft 1¼in / 1860mm) version of James Manson 4-4-0. Total of 25 built 1895-99; 6 rebuilt by Whitelegg with larger boilers but all withdrawn 1926-32. The preceding Hugh Smellie version was called "Wee Bogie".

https://railway-photography.smugmug...s-Manson/Manson-Class-4-4-0-designs/i-6XHcTRG

Perhaps Lord Peter Wimsey in 1931 might have spied some rail enthusiasts, visiting Galloway to see the rapidly disappearing Smellie and Manson classes.

 

Thanks: those were my guesses too. An interesting period!

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Thanks. I've read them both, but don't have copies myself, hence the question. An interesting mix, it sounds like.

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Sorry for resurrecting an old thread (I'm not really) but was wondering if anyone can tell me of any book or magazine with good photos of the Port Road, especially pre-WW2, and very especially if pre-grouping?

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Sorry - can't directly help you on the Port Road. But I thought some readers might like the attached photo of a vintage G&SWR 4-4-0 at Dumfries.

For Southern fans, an interesting comparison with contemporary James Stirling SER F-class.

 

The TV series from the 1970s uses a fairburn tank, probably at Haverthwaite. Just an odd detail.

 

Trying again with this - anyone know of any source of decent pre-grouping, or 1920s-early 1930s photos of the Dumfries to Stranraer line and branches?

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